The present disclosure relates to an image forming apparatus to which a toner container having an attachment compatibility is attached in a detachable manner.
There is known an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a sheet using developer including toner. This type of image forming apparatus is provided with a toner container(s) that supplies the toner to a developing device within the image forming apparatus. The toner container(s) is attached to an apparatus main body of the image forming apparatus in a detachable manner. When the toner in the toner container is consumed and the toner container becomes empty, the toner container is removed from the image forming apparatus and replaced with a new toner container filled with unused toner.
When the toner container is replaced, a cover covering an opening of the apparatus main body formed in a top surface or a side surface thereof is opened, and the toner container is taken out from the inside of the apparatus main body through the opening, and a new toner container is inserted in the apparatus main body through the opening.
In addition, there is known a structure (incompatibility structure) adopted in an image forming apparatus, where only a toner container having an attachment compatibility can be attached to an apparatus main body, and a toner container that is incompatible with the apparatus main body cannot be attached to the apparatus main body. This prevents an erroneous attachment of a toner container to the apparatus main body, thereby preventing an inappropriate toner from being supplied to a developing device. The incompatibility structure is realized by a container-side compatible key and an apparatus-side compatible key, wherein the container-side compatible key is provided on the toner container, and the apparatus-side compatible key is provided in the apparatus main body. According to the incompatibility structure, only a toner container corresponding to a container attachment portion can be attached to the container attachment portion, and the toner container cannot be attached to another container attachment portion because in that case, the compatible keys interrupt each other.
In addition, there is known a toner container including a memory (storage portion) storing information such as the capacity of the toner container. When a toner container is attached to a container attachment portion of an image forming apparatus, the memory and the container attachment portion are electrically connected with each other. This enables the image forming apparatus to detect an attachment of the toner container to an attachment position, and acquire, from the memory of the toner container, identification information including individual information such as a color of toner contained in the toner container.